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January 19, 2006
Save the Last Dance
Well, it's a bit disappointing. My company has an awards ceremony every year, much like the Oscars. We call it The Gilbert Awards (after our CEO Dan Gilbert). They always have some entertainment to break up the show, done by Quicken Loans employees--singers, comedians, entertainers, what have you.
I was going to do a swing dance routine, provided that I could find the right partner. It was going to be really cool. I wanted to do some throws and flips--it was going to be flashy. But unfortunately, I wasn't able to find the right dance partner. Since the swing dance crowd from the Velvet Lounge dissipated, I haven't been able to get in touch with any of the old crowd (I only saw them when I went dancing and don't keep in touch with them). But Mary knows a few people and she put me in contact with a couple of them. One guy never emailed me back, so I assumed he's not interested.
The other guy I met last night at the weekly swing dance at the U of M Union. He was pretty advanced and it was difficult for me to follow his moves. Because of that, he didn't seem interested in being my partner, which is too bad. But oh well. I figured I could dance with a few more guys there and hopefully find someone that I worked well with that might do the routine with me. Although the few guys I danced with were good dancers, they weren't really right for the routine I wanted to do mostly because none of them know how to do throws. So I'm bowing out of auditioning for the show.
I'm finding that swing dancers are like puzzle pieces. Some fit partially well, though the picture isn't right; some don't fit at all. And only a scant few fit picture-perfect, like some of the people I danced with at the Velvet Lounge back in the day. Most people I dance with now are only partial fits. I can dance pretty well with them, but sometimes I make mistakes or they don't lead strongly enough, but I have a good time anyway. I was going to ask my friend Anthony, who used to take Karate at the dojo with me and who's a really strong and good lead, to see if he'd be interested, but unfortunately, he wasn't there.
But there was one guy, Kyle, who I did dance very well with. He was really nice and even taught me a bit of Lindy Hop which I've really been wanting to learn but couldn't because I could never make it to the lessons or because I just couldn't transition from East Coast style. So it's become one of those things I just have to conquer! But he was great with me because he was really patient and as long as he kept counting out loud, I could do it. We had a few good laughs at some of the mistakes I made. Ha! I think I'm actually starting to get the hang of it.
I'm going to try to make the next Lindy Hop lesson and hopefully Kyle will be there to help me.
Posted by Amy at January 19, 2006 12:00 PM
Comments
You should show them how to do the 'Insane Happy Christy' dance. ^_^ Wheee!!!
Then again....you might be disqualified for it. *sighs* The world doesn't like random artistic dancing. Ah well.
Ahhhh Macarana!!!! *does the macarana* Did I spell that righ?? *snorts and dances anyway*
Posted by: meat ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://priori2ude.net/nav-commenters.gif)
at January 20, 2006 11:56 PM
No, see, my dream (one of them, at least) is to have you learn how to swing dance so that I'm NOT dancing circles around you, dear! And I want to get thrown, just in the air, not to the ground!! Pppbbbtthhh!!
Posted by: Priori2ude at January 20, 2006 10:12 AM
I'd dance with you (if you don't mind me stepping on your toes and such). My basic technique is to stand there shuffling my feet every so often, while you dance around me.
My advanced technique involves eating some tacos and doing the happy food dance, but that can involve some adverse side effects (burp!).
And if you really want to get thrown you can come to aikido class and I can solve that problem too!
Posted by: Mastadon at January 20, 2006 10:02 AM
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